ON THE EXPANSION OF SHOCK WAVES AROUND A DETONATING EXPLOSIVE BODY

The expansion of aimed shock waves in the vicinity of a detonating explosive was examined. Color photographs taken with the revolving drum camera make possible a differentiation between the clouds of gases flowing from the surface of the explosive and the compression shock released by the detonation in the bordering gas. At lower pressures (p is less than 1/1000), the separation between shock wave and gas clouds occurs in the immediate vicinity of the explosives' upper surface, the shock wave velocity is 19,000 m/s, or more than twice the expansion velocity of the reaction products of the explosion. At higher pressures, however, the separation occurs only after a greater distance is covered, with a progressive decrease in the shock wave velocity. Tests conducted under various pressures show that the initial velocity of the shock wave decreases with increasin pressure and molecular weight of the gas used. The results can be identified with the theory of the expansion of steady shock waves. (Author)